Misophonia & Hyperacusis near New Lisbon
Find Relief for Extreme Sound Sensitivity Disorders
At Professional Hearing Care, you’ll receive highly personalized care for your ears and hearing, including sound sensitivities such as misophonia and hyperacusis near New Lisbon. Our experienced audiologist and team understand that your symptoms are very real and our goal is to ensure your hearing comfort and optimization.
What Is Misophonia?
Misophonia is an abnormally strong negative reaction to specific sounds, or “triggers” like eating, chewing, lip-smacking, licking, breathing, whistling, or the sound of certain speech sounds, as well as sounds such as clicking or tapping. This negative reaction often results in anger, distress, and even rage. Body sounds, sometimes called “somatosounds” can also trigger misophonia.
Typically, misophonia develops in childhood or early adolescence but can occur in adulthood as well. It routinely begins suddenly after some emotionally significant initial incident associated with a first “trigger” sound, and environmental situation accompanied by a strong emotional event.
Misophonia can occur as a secondary symptom that accompanies tinnitus or hyperacusis, which is often associated with auditory damage or head trauma. Misophonia symptoms can also exist as secondary to multi-sensory sensitivity problems displayed in early childhood in more complex neurological conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder.
What Is Hyperacusis?
Hyperacusis is an abnormally strong and negative reaction to sound or an inordinate loudness of sound that other people tolerate well. The sounds can be soft, medium, or loud. It may cause distress, fear, or even pain to the person experiencing it.
It is believed that hyperacusis occurs because of hyperactivity within the hearing system.
The auditory system provides an automatic gain or volume control, modifying its sensitivity at both peripheral and central levels. This means when a person is normally exposed to even a low level of sound, the signal is amplified by the outer hair cell system by up to 60 dB. If mechanisms controlling this gain modification are producing higher levels of amplification when it is not needed, then overstimulation occurs within the auditory system, resulting in a perception of sound as abnormally loud, and even painful.
What Is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a common condition that can cause you to hear a ringing, rushing, or buzzing in your ears. Tinnitus is present in approximately 75% of all people with some form of hearing loss. While it will not cause you to lose your hearing, tinnitus is a leading indicator of hearing loss – even mild hearing loss.
While there is no cure for tinnitus, our providers work with FDA-approved Tinnitus Therapy options, including hearing aids, maskers, drug therapy, and allergy treatment, to treat and reduce your tinnitus – and help you get back to the joys of daily life.
Learn more about tinnitus here.
Contact Us for Help with Misophonia & Hyperacusis near New Lisbon Today
To get started on improving your hearing, schedule your Complimentary New Patient Assessment by calling 608-847-2444 or by clicking here. Your appointment includes an explanation of our process, screening based on your needs, a review of your results, and a FREE copy of Dr. Darrow’s Book, “Stop Living In Isolation.”
Our team will take the time to answer all your questions about our hearing rehabilitation treatments, our offices, our affordable financing, and anything else that you would like to know about us!
As one of the premier audiology practices near New Lisbon, our audiologists and team at Professional Hearing Care also provide 5-star hearing care to patients from Mauston, Westby, Viroqua, Tomah, Sparta, Richland Center & Baraboo, WI, and the surrounding areas.